Bengaluru, May 22 (IANS): A newly-elected MLA of the Congress party in Karnataka on Monday took oath as a member of the Assembly in the name of Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, while a BJP legislator took oath in the name of Hindutva and Gaumata.

Shivaganga Basavaraj, the MLA from Channagiri constituency, took oath in the name of God and his political guru Shivakumar, who is also the president of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee.

Kunigal MLA HD Ranganath took an oath in the name of Shivakumar, a farmer and God.

Shivakumar himself took oath in the name of Gangadhar Ajja, his religious guru, whom he says he regards as God.

It may be recalled that on May 20 Shivakumar took oath as the Deputy Chief Minister in the name of his religious guru.

Pro-tem Speaker R.V. Deshpande had advised newly elected legislators to take oath in the name of the Constitution of India or God, and not in the name of individuals, which is not as per norms. However, ignoring his advice, some MLAs took oaths in the name of individuals.

BJP leader Basanagouda Patil Yatnal took oath as MLA in the name of Hindutva and Gaumata.

KGF MLA Rupa Sashidhar of Congress took oath in the name of Buddha, Basava, Ambedkar and God, while JD-S MLA from Mulbagilu Samriddhi Manjunath took oath in the name of party leader and former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda.

BJP MLA from Dakshina Kannada region, Bhagirathi Muruliya, took an oath in the name of her family deities.

A three-day special session of the 16th Assembly began on Monday. The newly elected MLAs will take oath during the session.

On the first day of the session, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah took oath as MLA in the name of God.

Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar bowed at Vidhana Soudha before entering the premises on the first day of the session.

AICC president Malikarjun Kharge's son and state minister Priyank Kharge took oath in the name of the Constitution of India.

Ministers G Parameshwara, K.H. Muniyappa, K.J. George, M.B. Patil, and Satish Jarkiholi took oaths as MLAs in the name of the Constitution of India, and God.